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Citizens for Accountability and Responsibility <br />19856 Highway 145 <br />Dolores, CO 81323 <br />Montezuma County Commissioners December 10, 2005 <br />Montezuma County Administration <br />109 West Main -~""nn`~"-, <br />Cortez, CO 81321 II U I ~ l~ ~ ~ ~ l7 ;~~ <br />RE: Vegetative cover at Line Camg Pit II 1I ~ DEC 19 2005 <br />Deaz County Commissioners: <br />This correspondence concerns the Line Camp Pit, an operating gravel mine in the Dolores River Valley. <br />Wallace Erikson of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (DMG) inspected the site on July 14, <br />2005 in response to a complaint that vegetation on the earthen berms surrounding the Line Camp Pit was <br />not in compliance with the reclamation plan submitted by Aryol Brumley, the pit operator. Mr Erikson <br />developed an inventory of plant taxa on the berms that includes slender wheatgrass, mountain brome, <br />sainfoin, alfalfa, yellow sweet clover, sunflower, Russian thistle musk thistle, Canadian thistle, and field <br />bindweed. Of these, the Russian thistle (aka. tumbleweed), musk thistle, yellow sweet clover, alfalfa, <br />and bindweed are non-native weeds. These aze common intrusive species that frequently colonize <br />distwbed areas in the valley and likely were not introduced by Four States Aggregates. The mountain <br />brome is also common in the area and may have been aself-starter, though it, alfalfa, wheatgrass, and <br />sainfoin are listed in the operator's seed mix. Ultimately, the Line Camp berms appeaz to be a breeding <br />ground for intrusive, noxious weeds. <br />Mr Erikson does not provide proportional relationships of the various existing plant taxa in his August <br />2005 report. However, the berms as viewed from Highway 145 now, at the beginning of winter, show <br />very little evidence of turf development chazacteristic of perennial grasses. Instead, barren soil can be <br />seen over approximately 80 percent of the berms, punctuated with the dead stalks of intrusives such as <br />yellow sweet clover and thistle. It cannot be disputed that the berms are susceptible to wind and water <br />erosion, and that they aze an unsightly scar on the landscape. <br />I do not concur with Mr. Efficson's conclusion that vegetative cover on the Line Camp berms is in <br />compliance with DMG Rule 3.1.9 (1). The vegetation cover or lack thereof is unacceptable and in direct <br />variance to the Colorado Noxious Weed Act. All attempts by the operator to establish vegetation on the <br />berms have failed. Furthermore, the cursory treatment oftbe issue by the DMG suggests that it is remiss <br />in its responsibility to the citizens of the community. <br />I am available to discuss this matter at any time, preferably at the site where the problem is immediately <br />obvious. In addition, it appears that members of the local community and/or the county appointed <br />reclamation committee should be present to view and, if necessary, to supervise the seeding process. <br />Sincerer <br />,c-~- <br />Tim Hovezak <br />cc: Aryol Brumley <br />Wallace H. Erikson <br />